


First steps

by RussianWitch



Series: Steps [1]
Category: Fast and the Furious Series, The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Canon-Typical Violence, Feels, M/M, Mostly because I can't do continuity even if it kills me., Prequel, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2014-11-24
Packaged: 2018-02-23 09:15:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2542241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RussianWitch/pseuds/RussianWitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Story cannibalizes chunks of another one that I never got around to finishing or even getting half way.<br/>Still a lot of work had been done beta'ing the existing bits by Crowgirl while I was still writing.<br/>Any mistakes you still see are mine and were made while rewriting.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Story cannibalizes chunks of another one that I never got around to finishing or even getting half way.  
> Still a lot of work had been done beta'ing the existing bits by Crowgirl while I was still writing.  
> Any mistakes you still see are mine and were made while rewriting.

 

The urge to take Brian to see the Charger creeps up on him.

Spilling about his stint in prison and the reason for it, that comes out of nowhere but for the first time since he came back Dominic finds himself talking. Brian watches him with big eyes, but Dominic can't find any judgment or pity, he can't find anything but acceptance in the buster's face even when he talks about almost killing a man.

The garage is stuffy and hot from the afternoon sun: the air is baked in so late in the afternoon  and the dust raised from pulling off the sheet doesn't settle but dances lazily around them clearly visible in the stray sunbeams cutting through the dim. Absorbed in the car and the history the garage holds, Dominic doesn't notice when Brian stops moving  until he asks a question and doesn't get a reply. Looking up he sees the buster frozen in mid-gesture, face slack and eyes hazy.

"Brian?" He prompts circling the car to get a better look. Rounding the car, Dominic has to resist grabbing Brian to check what's wrong. Brian is still standing stiff as a board, but that doesn't mean he won't collapse if he isn't snapped out of it.  Dominic steps closer just in case Brian drops without warning.  Poking the frozen man is probably not the best way to go about it, but Dominic can' t think of anything else to do.

Brian's shirt sticks to his warm body, his muscles unnaturally tight under the damp cotton. For lack of better things to do, Dominic pulls the already stretched out neck of the shirt aside to check the buster's pulse  and startles when Brian moves arching into the touch.  His thumb still on the artery confirming that whatever is wrong with Brian, his heart at least is doing just fine, Dominic realizes that somehow they've managed to wrap around each other. 

Trying to untangle himself from Brian proves impossible, with every attempt Dominic grows more uncomfortable with the touch. Dominic is used to touching, being a tactile person by nature he occasionally drives everyone crazy with his pawing but this, it feels different far more intimate than it should. Intimacy that has no place between Brian and him.

"Brian? Come on man, snap out of it!" Taking a step back he tries to get Brian's hands off of him. "We have work to do—" Listing all the things they still have to get around to before day's end he pushes at Brian's chest, it doesn't work with all of Brian's muscles locked up. Dominic feels like he's trying to untangle himself from a statue.

This could have happened while they were driving, during a race or when under the car in the garage. Every time a spell like this could have put everyone in danger because Brian hadn't mentioned that he has these spells. Dominic's fingers dig into unyielding flesh getting pissed off by having been kept in the dark and being concerned about a kid he barely knows...Reminding himself that Brian isn't one of them, not yet even if Dominic has to make himself remember that more than half the time.

As they struggle Dominic keeps talking, it's a habit he'd developed after getting out of prison just to lessen the chance that he'll have to use his fists and get into trouble again. He misses the first signs of Brian responding to his words, could be they aren't even there, going from trying to gently push Brian away to being pinned to the car with Brian's mouth at his throat and growls echoing around the garage leaves him frozen giving Brian the opportunity to skim his hands across Dominic's back pulling him close as his tongue leaves a wet stripe across Dominic's throat and jaw.

" Spilner ?— Wha —?" He doesn’t get a chance to finish, as soon as he opens his mouth Brian takes possession his body still vibrating with strange growl like noises. The assault shouldn't feel 'right', yet Dominic gets caught up in the feeling, only to snap out of it when Brian puts more of his weight on him raising a leg to hook it across Dominic's hip. Their hard dicks grinding together  through the denim send sparks through his body that fan a fire that's started low in his gut.

The feeling of 'rightness' is so jarring after years of never quite getting there, that it manages to shake Dominic out of the haze Brian's assault put him in. Wrenching his mouth away Dominic gasps for air fighting the need to keep his hands on Brian's ass.

He doesn't think he pushed that hard, but Brian doesn't manage to balance once Dominic manages to push him off swaying for a second before hitting the floor. Landing on his ass, Brian barely manages missing slamming his head into the workbench behind him looks up at Dominic panting and wild eyed from shock. Looking down Dominic doesn't see the man he's been working alongside with for weeks now, what he sees is something alien that's already getting ready to lunge at him again. He doesn't bother holding back when Brian jumps pushing him back onto the floor before retreating some feet just to give himself breathing room.

" Spilner !" Yelling doesn't accomplish anything but Brian narrowing his eyes with a snarl. Still  it makes him feel a bit more in control, so he keeps on talking. "What the hell are you playing at Brian?" Shaking his head Brian frowns, and to Dominic it looks like he's waking up from something as recognition bleeds back into Brian's eyes.

"Dom?" He questions licking his lips unnervingly. "What's going on man?" Dominic ignores the flash of heat in his abdomen at the sight of Brian's tongue as he formulates his demand for information. Brian meanwhile licks his lips again, slowly this time like he's trying to figure something out. "Dom—" He breathes and Dominic fears losing him to the weird fugue again.

"You with me, Brian?" He's never seen anyone act this crazy, briefly Dominic considers demanding what Brian has taken,  the buster has never stuck him as someone who'd get attacked to dope but he's been wrong before. Brian shakes his head frowning and moving his arms like he's just discovered their existence.

"What?" He frowns. "You?—Dom?" Brian frowns lifting a foot to take a step, lets it sink again and shakes his head. "Yeah, yeah I'm with you." His hands curling into fists only to uncurl  and start plucking at his jeans.

"Care to tell me what the hell just happened?" He tries to sound angry hoping to motivate Brian into giving a decent explanation. Brian forces his hand away from his jeans, steps back and leans on the workbench only to starts rubbing his fingers across the wood. Dominic can see him getting agitated as more clarity returns. His frown grows deeper, lips moving soundlessly as he shakes his head to himself looking between Dominic and the floor and back again.

The exclamation of, "Fuck my life!" almost makes Dominic jump, he can't control the twitch at the angry exclamation as Brian sags against the bench. Even in the dim, Dominic can see Brian's fingers turns white from the force with which he digs them into the wood before finally letting go as he gets himself under control again. Taking a deep breath, Brian looks Dominic right in the eye for the first time since his episode started a neutral mask settling over his features as he speaks.

"I have a problem Dom, unfortunately—so do you. In fact, you—you have a big fucking problem.  'Cause  the cops." Brian cuts himself off, takes another breath and Dominic braces against the crash already seeing the wall he's going to crash into. "The cops know you're boosting trucks man, they're just waiting for solid proof—and I can't prove you haven't, 'cause it wasn't Tran and it wasn't anyone else and I'm out of ideas! And now! Now it turns out that you're an unregistered fucking Guide! Which isn't even supposed to be possible!" The last of the word torrent can probably be heard on the other side of the street, Brian buries his face in his hands after falling silent his shoulders drooping as he sags back  against the work bench looking defeated. 

Dominic can't help waiting for the joke, for Brian to look up laughing so he can kick the buster's ass and get things back on track. It doesn't happen of course, the feeling in his gut doesn't go away and Brian's posture doesn't change he doesn't move or speak again just watches Dominic with those damn big eyes like a kicked puppy. 

Dominic's first impulse is to ignore the whole thing, like he ignored every one of Vince's warnings up till now, but if the cops are looking into them he has to take action. His hand is hovering above the tray with wrenches before he consciously aware of it, only the hurt in Brian's eyes as he looks up to see Dominic's hand hovering over the heavy piece of metal keeps him from picking the thing up. The red haze that was gathering in his head rece ding  a enough that he can step away, bracing against the car to ground himself in the familiar metal curves.

"So, Brian  Spilner  is a cop—" Saying the words out loud, Dominic can see it: the way Brian carries himself sometimes, the way he'd watched other racers on occasion with barely hidden disapproval. Id ly  he wishes for Letty, Vince or Mia at his back to help him deal with this ignoring the part of him that whispers that only seconds before Brian would have been on top of the list.

Digging his hands into his messy hair, Brian shrugs. "O'Conner actually,—and yeah: I'm a cop—Sentinels who aren't in the military usually are."


	2. Chapter 2

Dominic snorts not really surprised that Brian is incapable of doing anything by halves. He feels like everything is spinning out of control, his neat life crashing and burning with just a few words turning to ash before his eyes at the hands of one man, again.

Hunched against the workbench, hands carefully on display and head down now that he's finished with his revelations Brian doesn't look dangerous, not like someone who can land Dominic and his whole family behind bars with only a phone call. Not a posture Dominic would expect to see from an undercover cop, even one who's just given himself away.

"Shouldn't you be calling the rest of the heat down here?" He can't resist asking with vicious challenge gratified when Brian flinches. Brian looks up briefly giving Dominic a glimpse of suspiciously bright eyes and that's almost enough for him to relent some.

"You just got me out of a zone—" Brian explains as if that is supposed to make some kind of sense, and is the logical explanation for him not to run for the black and whites instead of lingering in a corner. The word is somewhat familiar, not something he hears every day but he's come across it before even if Dominic can't place it right away. "—aand you have no clue what I'm talking about, do you man?" He finishes with a heavy sigh slumping further.

The sigh annoys Dominic, with the rest of the information Brian has just dumped in his lap being oblivious to the workings of governmental mutants shouldn't be met with even mild reproach. He's never needed to know anything about the walking crime labs, except that he should stay clear of them as much as possible.

"Talk—O'Conner!" He growls more than ready for a decent explanation. Whatever Brian means with 'getting out of a zone', it isn't enough of a reason for Brian's none-action as far as Dominic is concerned: not with his family on the line. He watches Brian fidget and shuffle in place, glancing up ever so often probably looking for something Dominic is sure he doesn't have in him. Prison looms over him far too close for comfort, one phone call away and looking damn unavoidable.

"Christ—! I need a cigarette!" The whine distracts him from the downwards spiral of his thoughts, the no-smoking lecture on the tip of his tongue already before Dominic remembers that Brian isn't one of his own and can do as he pleases.

"Now!" While prompting he thinks back on Brian's break habit wondering if it's a mutant think or an addict thing.

"Just promise me you won't run Dom." Brian demands urgently. "If you run I'll chase you and—just don't run." As tempting as arguing is, all he does is not folding his arms to wait for whatever Brian thinks will excuse his lying.

"Sentinels, they must have a partner yeah?" Everyone knows that bit, Dominic snorts, thinking about news broadcasts that show them from time to time: men and women hiding behind the backs of Sentinels getting interviewed, turning away from the cameras and getting dragged away when their 'guardian' gets fed up with the attention called 'guide' according to Brian. He'd always wondered how crazy, stupid or needy those people were to become someone else's property.

"Looks more like they must have a bitch to boss around from what I've seen." He's not like those poor bastards no matter what Brian has decided, the comparison is damn insulting. Dominic surprises himself by not flinching at Brian's snarl: a sound that he'd expect to come from a cornered animal, not from a man.

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about Dom!" Brian bares his teeth, his face twisting in rage before he gets himself under control again stepping back and taking slow breaths.

"Ya gonna educate me now?" He growls back amazed when the cop curls into himself turning away as much as he can while still keeping Dominic in his line on sight. He's closer to the door than Brian, no matter what he says Dominic could try to make a run for it, make it to his car... Alternatively he could try to get into the Charger: he'd have to get the door open and closed before Brian responds, break through the flimsy garage wall than ram his car to get out of the driveway. He hates to even think about the damage he'd do to the cars but at least he'd have a head start maybe enough to warn the rest.

"Dominic! I'm begging you man! _Do Not Run! You won't make it to your car._ " It sounds like a fact, like Brian is certain that Dominic doesn't have a chance no matter what he does. He scoffs: he's taken Brian in a fight before, the first time they met he'd gotten him off of Vince without any trouble. Brian might have been taught to fight, convincing enough to ambush someone when they don't expect it, but that's different from fighting for your life. Shifting his stance he prepares to kick the door wide and run..."I'm not kidding!" He shouldn't listen to the warning, in Brian's shoes he'd do anything to keep the suspect from running if only to make life easier for himself.

"Start talking!" He orders standing down, promising himself that he's bailing as soon as the first hint of bullshit comes out of the buster's mouth. As if hearing his thoughts, the cop lets go of the workbench inching along the wall closer to the door. Brian's hands go to his hair again now that he has nothing to pick at any longer making a bigger mess of it than it already was. Dominic hasn't seen him look this much of a mess even after a full day at work then an equal amount of hours put in at the garage.

"Fuck, right—"  Brian shakes his head and bites his lip visibly trying to get his thoughts in order. "I don't care what kind of shit you've heard about Guides, more than half the stories going around are so fucked up—you have no idea, man." The lip licking is a habit that's pure Brian, Dominic has seen it before: seen him chew on his lip while thinking while trying to make some part do what he wants and failing. "Sentinels, they _need_ their partners to function, to stay safe. They can't really use their full potential without help." Dominic has found himself watching Brian's mouth before for no clear reason, he'd told himself that it was just keeping an eye on the new kid. "What you got me out off, that's a zone: I over-focused on one sense and—without you, without a Guide to get me back I might have come out of it eventually or not either way it wouldn't have been pretty." Brian licks his lip again, but stops half way through looking disturbed. He opens his mouth, starts to say something but cuts himself off again before anything but a frustrated huff escapes.

"Thanks for the history, not my problem what you people do among each other—" Maybe under different circumstances he'd have been interested in the way the whole thing works, but with his life on the line he doesn't give a crap what the police pet freaks do among themselves.

"Guides need Sentinels as well: it's a 'symbiotic' relationship." The explanation continues, Brian sounds like he's reciting something he's been made to memorize a long time ago. "You've had to have noticed something Dom! The way people are drawn to you, the way you need your team around to keep things together? You think that's normal?" As explanations go, it's thin: a fairy tale someone cooked up to justify, Dominic doesn't even know what.  Only Brian sounds like he's convinced that what he's saying is true, getting agitated when he realizes that Dominic doesn't believe him. He finds himself almost sorry that he can't give the cop, can't give Brian whatever he needs..."I know why you need that! Without a Sentinel to boost them, your shields are weak...Bet you feel like there is a black hole in your mind don't you? That feels like it's going to suck the life out of you—"

"What you're going to tell me that's going to magically disappear? Just because someone like you is around? That's not me Spilner, O'Conner or whoever you are! So ya might as well stop thinking about it right now!" He scoffs, Brian shouldn't know about the black hole he's been fighting against. Even if he does, Dominic's state of mind is non of Brian's business anyway, nothing about Dominic is Brian's business!

"Not someone like me—" After the barrage of information, Brian pulling back is unexpected the cop turning shy even more so. "Probably—anyway, it's not like I can help it Toretto! It's not like I chose this!" His eyes flash with indignation. "But we _are_ compatible!" Whatever that may mean Dominic doesn't want to know, 'compatible' can mean too many things the idea of which he hates. "I should have known before, man. Only I thought I was imagining things! It'd happened before—" Backing off again Brain slumps wiping the sweat off his face. "—I shouldn't be doing undercover work, but Bilkins threatened to post me in Arizona or something where finding a chance of a compatible Guide is like zero! And I _need_ a Guide Dominic! 'Cause Sentinels without Guides, they don't make it past 30 without going crazy." Dominic can taste the defeat coming off of Brian thick in the air like the dust still drifting up with every gesture. "That thing with Mia—"

He's moving across the space between them, habit overruling caution ready to kick Brian's ass at the reminder that the buster had taken his sister out one night. "Do _not_ talk about Mia!" He hates the thought that his sister when out with a snitch, that he'd given permission, practically given his blessing for them to... Given that Brain just tries to shove his tongue in his mouth, Dominic prefers not to think what that means for Brian's interest in Mia in the first few weeks of their friendship. Doesn't want to think about Mia coming back all smiles from her date.

"Nothing happened!" Brian is maybe a bit too quick to assure. "I realized that she didn't smell right!"

"What did you just say?" The insult is familiar in the crazy situation, something he can blow off steam at...Funny how Brian's panic as he realizes that he just said turns him into the man Dominic had gotten to know.

"No! I mean actually scent! Everyone has one, at least to me they do! Families have similar scents, especially if they live together!" Brian babbles and no one has ever worked as hard to appease Dominic, but then no one had ever told him that his sister smelled to his face.

He grabs the squirming man's shoulders to keep him still annoyed that Brian is trying to get away, pinning him to the wall only for Brian to struggle harder. "Damn it Dom! Back off!" He demands but doesn't even try to push him away. "How the _fuck_ did the Center manage to miss this!" He moans slamming his head back against the wall with enough force to make Dominic wince. He ignores the words, they still don't make much sense no matter how much Brian is obviously trying to explain. By the look of him, Brian knows that all of his talking is of little use, Dominic can almost feel the start of the kind of black mood he remembers from his days in prison: the kind that made the demons close in and people feel like giving up on the world wasn't such a bad idea. Before he knows it his hands are on Brian digging into the tight muscles of his shoulders and trying to keep the darkness at bay.

Only Brian tries to get away almost as soon as he feels Dominic's touch, and Dominic has to make an actual effort to keep holding on. He doesn't remember Brian being so strong before, if he'd been... "Please don't Dom! You don't know what you're doing! Just back off please!" Brian keeps repeating like he's stuck in a loop.

"Calm the fuck down, buster!" He thunders, amazed when he actually works and Brian stops struggling.

"You haven't been listening, Dom! If you keep touching me, you're going to get your ass bonded to me for life!"


	3. Chapter 3

Releasing Brian as if burned, Dominic steps back until he's leaning against the Charger and a comfortable several feet of air are separating them. He doesn't know that 'bonded' means, but he can understand 'for life' just fine. Brian's words still ringing in his ears, Dominic is grateful that it's the middle of the day and most of the neighbors are at work so no one will hear the drama. Slamming around the garage isn't the best way not to draw attention in his neighborhood, yelling can be ignored and generally is but the racket they are making... Brian kicks the wall next to the bench turning away when he sees Dominic looking.

The muscles of Brian's back tense and release clearly visible under the cotton that's plastered to Brian's back by now. Dominic's hands itch to touch again, soothe the blond with physical contact if words aren't sufficient, only touching seems the worst thing he can do.

"I know it sounds like bullshit, Dom. But this isn't something I'm peddling for some fucked up reason. It's basic biology: hormones, pheromones, whatever. Touching starts the process of synching compatible people to each other then stress or exertion finishes the process along with loads more touching. After that there is no way back: you're stuck because your body doesn't give a fuck what you want!" Pacing along the wall, Brian keeps one hand on the wood but doesn't pay attention to where he's going resulting in an almost stumble over a heap of rim-caps piles in his way. He viciously kicks the heap sending a couple of the caps flying with a clank before turning around and stalking back with a snarl. "I could, should just knock you out and drag your ass to the Center, have them sort out this mess." Dominic bites back his habitual response to any challenge, unsure if he will be able to back it up against a mutant.

"Center?" He prompts pretty sure that Brian isn't talking about the cops. There are too many damn details, and at the same time not enough for him to get the bigger picture. There is a river of information that's spilling from Brian without an end in sight: too many of them to absorb properly. Unfortunately the way Brian talks, Dominic isn't going to get the luxury of time to think things over.

"There aren't enough Guides to go around. The Center, it's an organization that keeps track of Sentinels and Guides, trains them, helps them whatever—They won't allow a Guide to be taken into custody and imprisoned short of him or her committing first degree murder or something like that." As he talks, Brian steps forward then forcibly pulls himself back. The lip licking returns along with covert glances. The way Brian is acting, Dominic has seen it before: directed at the pretty girls along the finish line and his own sister. Conscious or not, he can read what's on Brian's mind just fine.

"So what? I admit to being one of you mutants, go to this 'center' of yours and suddenly I have a free pass? We say goodbye all polite like and go our separate way? From the fact that ya stuck your tongue down my throat, I don't think that's the outcome ya're angling for, is it Brian?" The knowledge that Brian wants...something, _that_ is not a happy thought, with the amount of leverage Brian has over him...A bitter, grating laugh startles Dominic out of his progressively darkening thoughts, it saws across his nerves and warning that something is about to get horribly fucked up. Brian vibrates with tension as well barely keeping from physically lashing out and yet Dominic is certain that physically Brian isn't a threat.

"You're a bastard for even implying that!" The cop hisses grabbing at the workbench to keep from going at Dominic. He pets the wood like it's an animal fighting to force his anger down until his shoulders lower and the sense that he can lunge at any moment recedes. "Of course it isn't what I want—," He leans over the bench, leans back against it thrusting his hips out, his hands in his pockets like a teenage punk in a snit. Dominic can see something in Brian's eyes change even in the dim of the garage: the anger draining away, being replaced with something other that makes Dominic's skin feel like it's too small for his body. "Yeah, I really want to fuck you, Dom. Blame biology, blame yourself for being you, whatever—Fuck you so hard that you'll forget everything but me, until everyone can smell that you're mine: _my_ Guide!" The words rasp across Dominic's nerves, Brian's voice a low growl by the he finishes speaking. "But you don't want that, so I'm trying to save your ass without tapping it!" He finishes icily, the chance almost giving Dominic whiplash as he tries to take it all in: how Brian can go from a step away from seduction to sounding like he's just about to order car parts, and why the chance of tone bothers him. Any arousal Brian's filthy desire started stirring in his gut disappears as finally gets his brain around some of the situation.

"I won't make it easy—" He doesn't get to finish the warning, Brian's fist goes through the workbench top without warning sending splinters flying in all directions, bouncing off the Charger and Dominic's chest. The paint on the car mercifully stays intact. Brian, in contrast, pulls his hand out of the wood with several large splinters embedded between his knuckles blood already dripping from his fingers. He gives Dominic a smile that has too much in common with a skull.

" Sentinels are mutants, Dominic. If you aren't a Guide—You don't have to make it easy, in fact you can make it as _hard_ as you like." He drawls raising his fingers to his lips to lick at the blood feral, savage and, Dominic curses internally. If Brian had been a woman...he damns himself for having a type: the strong ones, the fighters who challenged him. It takes effort to keep remembering that Brian is threat to him and everything he holds dear with his body responding to the implied promise in Brian's words without his permission. All the years of letting Letty mess him around, picking fights as foreplay...he wouldn't have figured it to transfer to a male cop.

"Shit Brian—" He tries to put as much danger in his voice as he can, get Brian to back off and turn back into the racer he's known from the start. 'Brian the aggressor' is even more alien than 'Brian the cop': he doesn't care to stay in Dominic's good graces and after weeks of taking that need for granted he feels something like bereft. He watches warily as Brian, having picked the splinters from his hand, pushes away from the workbench taking a couple of slow steps in his direction. Still trying to reconcile the new Brian with the old, he grits his teeth refusing to back away as the blond stalks him. It's not like he has a lot to worry about: Brian might be a Sentinel and maybe stronger for it, but Dominic has been fighting for a hell of a lot longer. He ignores the way the buster's face is flushed visibly even in the dim, the way Brian's hips sway: if it had been a woman stalking him like that, they'd have ended up fucking as soon as they found some privacy. With Brian he doesn't know what the hell he's supposed to do, how he's supposed to feel now. With every step Brian takes closer, he feels more common sense going out of the window.

He's seen guys showing interest in him before: even among the racers there were always a couple swinging that way, watching if never touching. He'd never cared one way or another, never responded but here he was his dick twitching as he is cornered. Brian licks his lips again, inhales through his mouth and licks his lips again, his grin turning lecherous.

"You've been to prison, Dom, ever had someone offer to suck your dick? Guys are better at it you know, 'cause they know how it feels on the other end. Bet you had offers: big, though guy like you—" He purrs raking Dominic's body with his gaze, lingering for a long time at Dominic's crotch. Vaguely it registers that Brian has gotten between him and the door again blocking the way out, not that Dominic wants to run: all he wants is for Brian to shut up. "I'm good at it, Dom. Don't have to guess what you like either: I can see it, smell it, hell I can feel it! I can blow your mind, and I actually like it." Only an inch separates them by the time Brian finally stops talking.

Dominic can feel Brian's breath against his cheek caught between refusing to show weakness and following Brian's warning about touching. He can't look away from Brian's mouth now that the thought is planted in his head he can almost see his cock disappearing between Brian's lips and down his throat... These thoughts almost distract him from the sinking realization that no matter how this confrontation plays out: he's fucked. No more truck heists, no more L.A. just in case there is some kind of hard evidence turns up against them and possibly no more team to keep everyone safe. It was almost a matter of time, he'd seen it coming: they'd been getting too greedy, playing it fast and loose and taking too many chances.

"Back off Brian!" He growls, but Brian only whines saying closer.

"I don't think so, Dom, I don't think you really mean that." He husks leaning in until Dominic has to lean back to keep them from touching. "You're hard as a rock right now, just from thinking about me blowing you. I can smell it!"

He swings at Brian on impulse: talking isn't working and no matter how right Brian is about what's happening in Dominic's pants, he needs space. As close as they are, Brian still manages to duck, twists like a snake and sweeps Dominic's feet from under him. Brian follows him as Dominic drops to the ground pinning him before he can roll away. His arms are trapped against his sides by Brian's thighs before he knows it, the weight of Brian's body keeping him pinned as he struggles to get loose. Dominic can feel Brian's interest now, the bulge in his jeans rubbing digging into his abdomen when the blond leans down. He struggles harder straining to get away from the feeling of the feel of a dick against him, but Brian wasn't kidding when he warned that he is stronger than he looks.

Dominic is forced to give up eventually, going slack in the hope that Brian will relax his grip allowing Dominic to toss him off. He's never wanted to be in this position: never wanted to be pinned down by a man's, Brian's weight. Brian is a solid weight in his lap: warm, wanting, practically panting for it. He doesn't want to like the feeling, the grounding weight, the absurd feeling of safety that Brian's nearness elicits. It's such an alien feeling, one he hasn't deserved in years, that he needs to get rid of it as soon as he can.


	4. Chapter 4

Struggling with renewed vigor, he bucks under Brian, kicking out in an attempt to unbalance him enough to get away. He doesn't succeed, unable to get enough leverage: Brian rides his attempts out with the same obnoxious grin he had the first time he lost a race to Dominic.

"I'm going to kill you, O'Conner!—" He doesn't get to finish the threat, Brian's tongue hot and wet on his throat distracts him from what he was about to say scraping over his skin not hard enough to leave marks, but enough to send shivers down Dominic's spine. One swipe turns into two, into Brian licking along Dominic's jaw something like a purr escaping his throat and vibrating across his skin just before Brian rolls off of him. As soon as he's free, Dominic scrambles way putting distance between them and putting the wall at his back.

Brian doesn't follow him, he slumps against the Charger pressing his face into the metal as he takes in large gulps of air. Pissed off as he is, Dominic can't help noting that all of a sudden Brian doesn't look too hot. Under different circumstances, Dominic would guess the guy was running a fever but after what's just happened he isn't sure if Brian needs an ambulance or a kick in the head. All things being equal, a kick in the head is easier to arrange.

He finds himself next to the door: leaving suddenly seems easy, he wouldn't even have to run. He could just walk away as long as Brian is still slumped against the car trying to get his shit together or whatever. If he's lucky he might even beat the APB: be half way down the boarder before it's called in. Brian can sort himself out: he isn't Dominic's problem after all. Except his legs lock up at the very thought of leaving him on the garage floor. He can't bring himself to come close, unwilling to take the change of getting grabbed again or something equally...unwanted, instead he pokes at Brian's leg with a toe.

"What the hell is your problem, buster?" Brian turns his head to glare, scraping his hands against the floor.

"Nothing—nothing that concerns you." He grits hoisting himself to his knees, then getting to his feat still leaning heavily on the car. Once standing he sways a couple of times before getting his balance but doesn't turn around. Dominic watches him warily wondering where the switch got flipped yet again.

"So all of a sudden ya're ready to drop? Just like that?" Brian growls petting the car one last time then steps away. Not meeting Dominic's eyes Brian brushes past him kicking the door open. Both of them wince at the bright light that floods the garage and for an instant Dominic wonders if Brian will get another spell like the one that's started all of this.

"Yeah, well, Sentinels don't do too well when they get rejected by their potential Guides—" He waves his hand vaguely in Dominic's direction stepping outside.

"Should have tried an actual Guide." Dominic points out defensively forcing himself not to reach out and help when Brian stumbles as soon as they are about ten feet apart.

"Yes, thank you, Dom! Next time I subconsciously lock onto someone's pheromones, I'll check first!" There is something off in Brian's snarl, something that makes alarm bells go off in Dominic's head driving him to follow as Brian stumbles down the driveway. He doesn't make it too far, halfway down the slope the Sentinel collapses to his knees looking as pale as his shirt while panting from exertion. To Dominic it looks like Brian will pass out any second now, then he'll be stuck with a half-dead Sentinel in his driveway, already being a suspect for the hijackings that's not a situation he wants to be in but if calls the ambulance he might as well call the cops. Calling and running, would mean taking the chance that Brian will be fine until the EMT's get there, would mean leaving Brian behind.

His legs lock up at the thought of leaving, of leaving on of his own behind. Dominic wonders how the hell Brian managed to worm himself so deep under his skin in such a short amount of time. It almost makes him believe in the whole Sentinel and Guide shtick... He shakes it off, reminds himself that he doesn't believe any of that shit. Even if he did it would mean handing over control of his live to someone else, handing his ass to someone else and even if it's Brian...Everything in Dominic rebels against the very idea.

Despite everything he can't help admire Brian's tenacity: when he can't manage to get to his feet, Brian stubbornly continues towards the street on hands and knees and Dominic can't help following.

"How come I ain't getting sick?" He wondering keeping pace with the crawling man. Brian groans in annoyance and kicks out weakly missing Dominic completely.

"Fuck off, Dom!" He snaps between pants looking like he's ready to try kicking again despite starting to look like death warmed over. Dominic doesn't want to feel admiration for Brian being a mouthy shit even under extreme circumstances, doesn't want to like that half dead the buster still makes him work for the authority he's used to getting by default. He wonders if he'd actually put down some of Brian's challenges to his authority, if he hadn't encouraged the mouthing off when the rest wasn't around they wouldn't be in this situation now. Maybe if he hadn't treated Brian as an equal, the buster wouldn't have gotten ideas...

Brian curses, his hand slips and he ends up on his side sprawled on the concrete. Dominic is on his knees next to the prone man before he consciously realizes that he's doing his hand tangling in the damp cotton of Brian's shirt pushing the weakly protesting man onto his back. Brian tries to fight him, but the powerful grip he had before is nowhere to be found and Dominic easily pins him down straddling the lean body in a reversal of their position.

Up close, Dominic can take in how much whatever is going on is affecting Brian: how dilated his eyes have gotten, the pupils blown despite being out in the bright afternoon sun, the scalding skin and minute tremors running through his bodies. Dominic's hand slips around Brian's throat and the blond goes still under him as a bolt of something shoots up his arm electrifying Dominic's nerves. He'd have missed the whine if Brian's throat hadn't vibrated under his hand. The animal sound comes again, and Dominic wonders if this is the sound animals make when crawling off to die.

The dogs come as a surprise: one moment there is nothing, the next there is one at Brian's head. A big blond dog with a dark muzzle and big pointed ears appears from thin air looking down on the blond with worry. Ignoring Dominic completely it crowds Brian leaning down to lick the sweat off of Brian's face.

It can't be anything but a hallucination, because things aren't screwed up enough already, only Brian wiggles one arm from under Dominic's leg to grab the dog by the scruff and pull it closer burying his face in the shaggy pelt.

The second dog's appearance is announced by a low warning growl starting behind Dominic's back and the sound of teeth snapping suspiciously close to his ass. He twists around to see an impressive set of teeth bared at himself by a squat, heavily muscled dog that circles them as if studying the situation. Dominic stares at it not sure if he should be getting between the clearly angry creature and Brian or just let it be. As soon as he tries to rise, the growl swells in volume only subsiding when Dominic settles back down finally looking at Brian for an explanation.

"So dogs?" They must be part of Brian's bullshit somehow, because clutching the dog Brian is starting to look a little better. He isn't panting any longer and his eyes look like he can focus again, even if he still looks like he's ready to have the day over with already. Turning his head with effort, Brian squints at the brown dog for a while.

"I think they got fed up with the drama." He concludes eventually, the blond dog huffing in agreement between licks. Dominic can't disagree with the mutts, unfortunately it doesn't look like any of it insanity is going to go away any time soon.

"They, got fed up? Ya talk dog all of a sudden?" As stupid as the question is, he can't resist asking even with both Brian and the dogs looking at him like he's an idiot. Feeling uncomfortable now that there are witnesses to his pinning Brian to the ground, he slides off to sit next to the prone man only keeping a leg across Brian's thighs to keep him from trying to get up.

"What do you care?" Brian mumbles into the dog's fur trying to wiggle from under Dominic's legs. "You're seeing things since you aren't a Guide." Dominic frowns at that, but Brian isn't done. "I have to tell you, man, I've never even _heard_ about a spirit animal trying to bite it's human before." The relish in Brian's voice is enough provocation that Dominic can't resist slapping him hard across the thigh, and forgetting to remove his hand because keeping physical contact with Brian makes his worry subside just a little.

It's certainly not because he's a Guide or some shit like that, but that he hasn't had any time to stop thinking about Brian as part of the team.  "Damn it Brian! What the fuck do you want from me?" He curses the choice of words as soon as they leave his mouth but Brian concentrates on prying Dominic's hand off his thigh. He digs his fingers into Brian's flesh unwilling to let go, he'd sworn not to let anyone go without a fight after having had to watch his father die.

"Save it, Dominic!" Brian finds the strength somewhere to push Dominic's hand away and he feels bereft. He puts it right back grabbing Brian by the wrist when he tries to push it away again.

"Save it? Save it? Ya drop the bomb that you're a cop, then accuse me of being a damn mutant then expect me to deal? Fuck you, Brian!" Tired and annoyed he throws Brian's arms away dropping his hand on Brian's abdomen, his fingers catching on slick skin where Brian's shirt has ridden up. "Then ya stick your tongue down my throat—"

Brian groans when Dominic mentions it, letting go of the dog he covers his face with both hands while trying to untangle their legs. "Jesus, really? That's what you get stuck on?"

"Don't know how to deal with the other two yet." Dominic admits grudgingly and despite looking away, he can feel Brian's eyes on him again.

"What the hell does that mean?" He shrugs trying to stare down the dog whose glare has been making him twitchy, the dog stares back and Dominic know that expression: he's seen it enough times while looking in the mirror after catching Vince or Jesse doing something stupid. He's being called an 'idiot' by a mutt, Dominic isn't sure how he's supposed to handle that on top of everything else.

"That ya can't just spring this shit on somebody." He needs time to think, funny how he can't bring himself to say 'no' outright even knowing what a 'yes' will get him. If there is time, _any time_ he wants it. "Now long do I have?"

Reaching out to pet the blond dog Brian rolls his eyes. "No idea, they haven't really managed to study what happens—seeing as at least one person has to be in critical condition!" He decides that if Brian is bitching, he can't be that bad off.

"So, how long?" Accompanying the prompt with a poke in the ribs might not be the nice thing to do, but he's too damn tired to be nice.

"I'd say a quarter mile?" Brian grins up at him, a poisonous grin that Dominic itches to wipe off as soon as he can.

He rolls to his knees with a grumbled, "Bastard!", leaning over the buster to get a better look at his eyes maybe see if he's faking the whole thing. Hazy blue blink up at him as he hovers over the blond and as he squints down Brian licks his lips distracting Dominic from his intended purpose. He's stuck watching the pink tongue travel across chapped lips stuck by the knowledge of how they taste.

If Brian was a woman... they'd still be having it out regarding the blond's actual profession, but at least without Brian's filthy offers holding between them messing with Dominic's mind. Having Brian so close, isn't a new thing exactly they aren't shy with touches normally, is different. He slides his hand up Brian's chest to feel his heart-beat, it's steady as far as he can tell. Taking his touch as permission Brian reaches up resting it on his arm lightly as if waiting for Dominic to object.

He should be objecting, should shake the touch off only that's sense of peace is creeping up again and he can't do anything but slump against Brian's side. Funny how all Brian does even in his state is grumble and strokes up Dominic's arm to hook his hand behind his shoulder. he doesn't mean to flinch, but the touch reminds him a little too much of a come on: the way a woman would pull him closer for a kiss. The hand on his shoulder feels heavy, far heavier than it can actually be no matter who or what Brian is. Big hands, rough from working on cars and handling guns and what not.  There is a strength in them that even Letty never had for all her trying.

"Fuck this shit—"  Brian doesn't comment communing with the dogs in some way. The quarter mile for once too damn short for him to get any clarity. The only thing he can think to do is get them the hell off the street before one of the neighbors passes by or the kids come back from school to see them lying around the drive way. "Can you stand?"

He prods Brian's side when the blond doesn't respond fast enough and is pushed away for his effort. "Why? Want to take me out back to shoot?" In revenge he hoists the buster up by his shirt stretching the soggy cotton even farther out of shape.

"I hear getting blood out of concrete sucks."  He hesitates a bit, then gets a hold of himself and slings Brian's arm around his shoulder. Brian doesn't exactly hang off of him, but he isn't stable either.

"I want a cigarette before the execution. Heard that 's a thing." Brian reaches back and the blond dog trots up butting it's head against his hip and almost unbalancing him.

"Filthy habit." He pulls Brian closer just in case the dog pushes at them again as they walk up the steps to the front door. Getting his keys out of his pocket while trying to let go or trip over the dogs isn't fun but he manages eventually. Brian just snorts in response digging his fingers into the muscle of Dominic's shoulder until they are finally next to the couch and he can drop Brian there.

Letting go is far harder than Dominic expects: everything in him protesting that he shouldn't be letting go, in fact that he should be pulling Brian closer. He's never had the urge before; Brian isn't exactly familiar either having him close means more angles digging in in unexpected places, hard muscle and no breasts pressed between them. Dominic hasn't missed that Brian has stayed half hard despite being sick as a dog.

Once he has to let go of Dominic, Brian reaches for the dog who allows himself to be manhandled closer. Backing towards the kitchen Dominic keeps watching in case Brian keels over almost breaking his neck over the other dog. "Damn it! Is there a way to make them disappear again?" He calls over his shoulder trying to glare the dog into submission.

"Not as far as I know, they pretty much come and go from what I've been taught. Usually they appear if they think you're not doing something you're supposed to do." Brian slurs some of the words and Dominic decides that regardless of anything else getting some liquid into the blond can't harm anything. Mia has left a carafe in the fridge and there is leftover ice in the freezer, he's tempted to get a couple of beers to go along with it but even getting a buzz is a bad idea. As an afterthought he gets a pan and fills it with water from the tap for the dogs as well.

Back on the couch he wonders why he hasn't picked his usual stop in the chair instead of trying to get comfortable with Brian's bony knee sticking into his back. "You're feeling the connection building up. It's fuck, it's further than I'd have expected even—" Brian breaks off with a grimace and Dominic takes the opportunity to pour a glass of water and shove it at the prone Sentinel who flinches back.

"What?" He wonders how many revelations a person can take in a day. If it turns out that Brian is allergic to water or some shit like that, Dominic doesn't want to know about it.

"The glass is too cold." Brian's fingers twitch as he reaches for the glass again only to stop inches from it.

"You didn't have a problem with cold before." He's seen Brian grab beer from a cooler, even throw ice at the others while having fun, he shouldn't have any problems now.

"My control wasn't messed up before." That doesn't explain much, but Dominic can see that Brian wants the water bad. The smart thing to do would be letting go of Brian and going to the kitchen to get another glass, maybe tap water or something but stepping away would means losing contact with Brian's body and something tells him that neither of them is going to like that.

Brian tries to wet his lips and fails having sweated out too much fluid already. On impulse he takes a swing from the bottle warming the water in his mouth then leaning down to pass the water to the blond. Brian gets it at once licking the liquid out of Dominic's mouth with a grateful groan. A couple of mouthfuls later Brian stops Dominic from taking another swallow pushing him away.

"Dom, do you know what you're doing?" Brian whispers and Dominic can feel how much it costs him. At first he doesn't even get why Brian is asking, then his actions of the last few minutes seep into the forefront of his mind and he jerks back.

"What the hell?" With all the other actions he could have taken, feeding Brian by mouth somehow seemed the best idea. He doubts that it would have occurred to him to help anyone else...

"The bond demands contact, told you it messes with the mind." Nodding mutely Dominic wonders how far this _thing_ whatever it is, is going to push them, push him. Brian's knee is still digging into his back so Dominic shifts, throws Brian's legs across his lap to get more comfortable and settles down to think. The need to have Brian close keeps overriding all other thought, it feels like his hands aren't under his control; they keep reaching for Brian's skin.

"I don't know if I can do this, Brian." He repeats as his hands dig under the sweaty cotton of Brian's shirt to trace the muscles of Brian's abdomen. Brian arches into the touch shuffles closer, as if that's possible with both of them taking up the couch. He should protest when Brian pulls on his shirt in return slipping a hand under the hem.

"You're already doing it. Subconsciously you've already decided otherwise you'd be fighting—" He doesn't let Brian finish offended by the implication.

"You saying I _want_ this all of a sudden?" Whatever the hell they are doing, he still hasn't forgotten Brian's original promise, or maybe it had been an offer.

"I'm not in a position to say anything." Brian sighs pulling away and sitting up with effort, working one leg off of Dominic's lap.

"What the hell are you doing?" Dominic pulls him back, the struggle leaving him sprawled on the couch with Brian on top of him.

"I need to call the Center. Get out of your hair, they can try drugs or something—" Dominic hates that he _knows_ that Brian doesn't believe that drugs or whatever the Center can do is going to help. As much as he hates it, if Dominic wants Brian to live...

"Do we have to—" He can't bring himself to say it, still doesn't want to think about it, but the touching as much as they've been doing that he can do.

"Fuck?" Brian stops his weak struggling. "It's how it's usually done—I suppose only touch is needed, I don't know, I never bothered to learn that shit." Because Brian is still Brian and Dominic can't imagine sitting still to learn all of that either.

"Guess we're going to find out." Biting the bullet he pulls Brian's shirt up until it gets stuck under Brian's arms.

"Don't say shit you don't mean Dom." Brian reaches for him, pulls Dominic's shirt up as well spreading his hands across Dominic's chest.

They get each other's shirts clumsy with care not to push the other past his limit until Brian is wrapped around Dominic like a limpet. Dominic almost starts to think that this might actually work, only to be reminded of that which they are trying not to think about: their crotches rubbing together as Brian gets comfortable reminds him that they are both still hard and getting harder the more Brian wiggles around.

"I'm not letting you die." Dominic finally decides, not matter what it takes ending up with a Sentinel's corps in his house isn't the answer. Especially not when Brian is offering to get the entire investigation dropped so the team will be able to leave in peace. "Might kill you myself when this shit settles, but I won't let you die." He can feel Brian shaking with silent laughter and holds on tighter.

From the floor comes a snort and Dominic looks down at the dogs. The mutts are cuddles up next to the coffee table grooming each other and wagging their tails almost in sync. "Guess they approve." Brian nods against his throat and Dominic feels just a hint of tongue on his skin. "You've been outvoted."

He still isn't sure how this thing is supposed to play out, not enough time or information. Giving in doesn't sit well with Dominic, especially with so much that no matter what Brian says now there are still a hell of a lot of people who may decide otherwise. He's pretty sure that he's being a trusting idiot, but the fairy tale that Brian is slinging of this being the way to make the black hole in his mind disappear, to find someone who will watch his back on a permanent basis; it's one hell of a temptation even considering the rest.

Teeth at his throat distract him from his thoughts: he can feel the bares pressure against his throat like Brian is waiting for something. It takes a while for him to get that it's his permission that's needed. Possibly permission to do a hell of a lot more than just bite down. When he doesn't protest the sensation of Brian's tongue massaging his skin as if marking the spot where he's going to bite down eventually, Brian purrs against his skin approvingly. Brian feels happier, or at least calmer, especially when Dominic strokes up his back to clamp a hand on the hack of his head.

"Brian—" He can't say the actual word, or words, but he can do the next best thing pushing Brian's mouth against his throat in tacit permission. The teeth that sink into his skin are sharper than he expects: they sink deep enough that Dominic is sure the bite will scar. Strangely he doesn't feel the need to tighten his hand in Brian's hair and pull the man away even after he feels blood tickling-while leaking down his neck before Brian can lap it up. It should be disgusting, instead he feels himself grow harder.

Brian rubbing against him doesn't help, it's obvious that the Sentinel doesn't care that he's rubbing his dick against another man. Wonders why it is that his body isn't rebelling against the touch, instead it feels good, better in fact than the last time he and Letty had sex and they still have their clothing on.

Not willing to continue the train of thought any longer, Dominic forces all thought to stop. Concentrating just on feeling he tries, at first, to sort out which feelings are his and which are Brian's but there are too many of them and eventually he gives up.

"How long are we supposed to stay like this?" He questions eventually vaguely aware that they can't stay on the couch forever, eventually someone will come to look for them and he had no idea how to explain them cuddling half naked on the couch.

"No idea, I'm actually surprised that I'm feeling better."

At those words Dominic can't help tightening his fingers in Brian's hair. "That sounds a lot like you weren't expecting it."

Brian shrugs against him far too unconcerned for Dominic's taste. "Wasn't expecting to find my Guide either." he licks at the wound on Dominic's throat. "Chances are I'll feel even better if you bite me too." He throws his head back exposing his throat and the prospect is far more interesting than Dominic would expect. He's never had a thing for marking his partners, never been possessive enough for it and pain has never been his thing and yet... He bends down to nuzzle at the exposed throat, brush his lips across stubbles skin in an imitation of what Brian did. Brian moans and leans into the touch and Dominic is biting down before he knows it there is the taste of blood on his tongue and Brian's loud purring in his ears.

He lets go when Brian quiets down looking down at the teeth marks he's left in Brian's skin. It feels like they belong there.

"No way back now." Brian tells him sounding far too happy at the prospect. It leaves Dominic wondering how much further his life is going to spin out of control.


End file.
